The Ministry of Sports declared that Mão Santa ‘was one of the biggest names in the history of basketball and one of the greatest athletes in Brazilian sport’
Lend of Brazilian and world basketball, Oscar Schmidt He died this Friday (17) at the age of 68. The death was confirmed by the “Mão Santa” press office, however, the cause of death was not disclosed. Oscar leaves his wife, Maria Cristina Victorino, with whom he has been married since 1981, and two children, Felipe and Stephanie.
Several entities from the sporting world mourned the death of the second highest scorer in basketball history. In a note, the Ministry of Sports expressed deep regret and stated that Oscar “was one of the greatest names in the history of basketball and one of the greatest athletes in Brazilian sport.”
The folder also stated that the winger left an unforgettable legacy in the Brazilian team, being the biggest scorer in history, with 7,693 points. The ministry offered solidarity to family, friends, fans and the entire sports community.
The Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB) deeply mourned Oscar’s death. “More than results and medals, Oscar represented values that define the Olympic spirit: dedication, overcoming, respect for the opponent. In each competition he took with him not only talent, but also inspiration for all who believe in the transformative power of sport and the Brazilian flag in their hearts”, lamented Marco Antonio La Porta, president of the COB.
Recently, he was honored at COB, on the 8th, and inducted into the Hall of Fame, but was unable to attend because he was recovering from surgery. He was represented by his son.
NBA Brasil mourned the passing of Mão Santa and classified Oscar as an “eternal legend of Brazilian basketball and one of the greatest names in the history of the sport”.
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The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said that Oscar was a “tireless athlete, synonymous with patriotism, determination and talent”. President Samir Xaud stated that Brazil is saying goodbye to a giant.
Clubs where Oscar played, such as Palmeiras, Corinthians, Flamengo, and even clubs for which he did not play, such as Vasco da Gama and São Paulo, spoke out on social media. Alviverde, the team for which he debuted in 1975, stated that, after being diagnosed with cancer in 2011, Oscar became “an example of faith, perseverance and love of life”.
Titles
Oscar Schmidt won the 1987 Pan American Games in Indianapolisbeating the home team, in one of the biggest victories in the history of Brazilian basketball, and which was one of the reasons why the United States assembled its legendary Dream Team.
Holy Hand has several records, mainly Olympic. He scored the most points in a game, with 55, against Spain in 1988. He also has the highest points average in a game. edition of the Olympics, with 42.3. He was a scorer for 3 editions, and is also the greatest scorer in the history of the Brazilian Basketball Team. He is the second highest scorer in the history of basketball, with 49,973 points.
The former athlete was also champion of the South American Championships in 1977, 1983 and 1985. Oscar holds the record for points at the Olympicswith 1,093 points in five editions. He was inducted into the American Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013, being one of the few to receive the honor without having played in the NBA. He is also a member of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and Italian and Spanish Basketball Halls of Fame.
Oscar played for several teams in Brazilsuch as Palmeiras, where they won the Brazilian Championship in 1977, Flamengo and Corinthians, where they also won the national championship in 1996. He was world champion with Síriowhere he played from 1978 to 1982, winning the 1979 Interclub World Cup, in addition to the Brazilian Championship of the same year. He had the best moment of his career with Juvecaserta, where he played for eight years in Italy.
Oscar almost played for the NBA’s Brooklyn Netsbut did not sign the contract because he had to stop playing for the Brazilian team. At the time, the team was called the New Jersey Nets, and selected Oscar in the 1984 Draft, which featured legendary names such as Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley and John Stockton.
